Morning Dew

Key Passage: 1 Samuel 25: 2-44 (Please read if you can)

Key Text: 1 Samuel 25: 24 – She fell at his feet and said, ‘On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant.’

It has been said that there exists in every man a king and a fool. Depending on the circumstances, he can either be a king or a fool. Or how do you explain the same man putting his life on the line to defend his family, and a few days after goes after another woman, commits adultery and puts his marriage in jeopardy. But wise women know this truth and have learnt how to bring out the King in their men and totally subdue the fool in them.

Today we read the story of a great and often ignored woman in the bible. Abigail. She was the wife of a man called Nabal. Nabal had offended David by not honouring him and helping him, that David was determined to destroy Nabal and his household. But Abigail intervened and spoke to David and changed his mind about acting rashly and offending God. There are a few points I want to share regarding this woman, that we can all learn from and most especially women today.

Nabal was a fool and a scoundrel, but he was successful and rich. I am totally convinced that Nabal was successful because he had Abigail as his wife. She had learnt how to speak to the king in this fool and make him see value in his life. Secondly, when she learnt what her husband had done to David, she quickly arranged provisions and took to David. David was not yet the king of Israel, but she knew he would be someday. So she met David, full of anger and determined to destroy Nabal and his household.

The way this lady handled the enraged David is a lesson for all women. Abigail was a very beautiful woman, but she did not try to charm the future king with her beauty. Instead she did the very opposite. She dismounted from her donkey and fell on her face to the ground. This is submission. This will always disarm men, because it touches the king in them. Then, she spoke to David letting him know that her husband was not worth the price David was about to pay. She then began to affirm David and remind David of his destiny and purpose and that God was on David’s side. She also affirmed that Saul was persecuting David unjustly.

She ended her appeal, by affirming that David will someday become king in Israel and that David should not let his heart be stained by this foolish act of vengeance. That he should also remember her when he eventually becomes king.

Please read David’s answer “32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male. 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

The end of this story is that David returned home and did not sin against the Lord, but he never forgot Abigail. When Nabal died, David married Abigail.

I think women need to learn from other women like Abigail and Sarah. Though, very beautiful women, there were notable more for their wisdom. See what the bible says about this; 1 Peter 3:1-6 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewellery, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.’

Ladies, learn how to speak to the king in your men and you will have a noble king on your hands, but if you decide to speak to the fool in him, you guessed it, you would have the fool manifesting. Don’t always criticize him for his foolishness, just let him know he is a king and kings do things a bit differently and soon, you would see your king arise.

Let’s pray: Father God, thank you for the lesson from Abigail’s life. Thank you for using her to show us that we can get our men to be truly noble and kingly. Lord please grant us the practical wisdom to know how to speak to the king in our men and how to subdue the fool in them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.